The Cincinnati Bengals backfield reminds me of a ping-pong match; it's all back and forth. Two years ago, Giovani Bernard was the hot rookie who could get outside on a stretch play or catch passes. Last season, Jeremy Hill usurped his starting job thanks to his immaculate rushing between the tackles. This year, Gio is back on top with Hill vulturing touchdowns left and right. It's enough to make a fantasy football owner's head explode.
If you're at a loss for whom to start this week, you're not the only one. I'm a frustrated Hill owner who was unable to handcuff him with Bernard, so I feel your pain.
"In the Bengals' Week 5 comeback win over Seattle, Giovani Bernard was on the field for 62 of the Bengals' 79 offensive snaps," ESPN Fantasy Football Insider Miker Clay wrote. "Jeremy Hill handled 17. Bernard has now out-snapped Hill in three of the team's past four games. Even worse for Hill, Bernard has been significantly more productive. Hill is averaging a miserable 3.0 yards per carry, compared to 5.5 for Bernard. Bernard's exceptional mark is tops in the NFL among 18 backs with 60-plus carries. Hill, meanwhile is averaging 1.6 yards after contact, which is dead last among backs with at least 45 carries. Bernard is clearly the better play against Buffalo this week, but it's reasonable to expect Hill to return to form against a lighter schedule after the team's Week 7 bye."
I'll be honest, Hill's disappointing season is a big surprise to me. Over the second half of the 2014 season, he was fantasy's top running back and one of the NFL most impressive rushers period. The guy passed the eye test as he bull dozed his way up the middle for chunks of yardage and a handful of touchdowns. It's strange to see him perform so abysmally against contact this year.
Is it just a painfully slow start? Is he injured? Will he regain last year's dominant form? I don't know. If you own him, it likely means you don't have any better options and will be forced to play him this week. But as Clay explained, you might want to temper your expectations.
